The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-08-13

seemed to have no friends, nor even any acquaintances, and lived a very isolated sort of life in little suite of apartments on the first floor of house situated on the Rue de Rome. She only kept one servant, a stout girl from Normandy, but she was herself so active and self helpful that thls sol itary domestic more than sufficed for her needs. In fact, Jeanne sometimes complained to me of the independent ways of her mistress and love of soli- tude. "She will not even let me help her to dress herself, or to get ready for bed," quoth Jeanne, with shrug of her shoulders. "4Noa D:eu! these Americans are queer creaturesw
 There was only one point about Miss Rayner that I noticed as being exceptionally odd, in spite of Jeanne's comments, and that was the fact that l never saw her with uncovered hands. She always wore gloves of Swedish kid, in the fashionable shades of brown or tan-color. She must have bought them, not by the dozen pairs, but by Che hundreds. Otherwise, sine always dressed very plainly, though well, her dresses being usually of black cashmere or alpacca. And she was always very neat and wore fault lessly clean collars and cuffs of white linen. But neither Jeanne nor myself nor in fact any other person, ever saw her without her gloves. Ialways be- lieved that she slept in them, and from something that Jeanne told me finally became sure that she did.
 When Miss Rayner first employed me, my duties were merely those of a messenger She used to engage me to take places for her at the opera or to get tickets for concerts, to carry par cels or to take messages. Gradually she came to trust me more and more. l sent off money orders for her; I got cheeks cashed for her at the bank I paid her bills; and in fact, I trans acted most of her business. She seemed to rely upon me all the more, when after awhile she fell into a feeble state of health. Her face grew paler and more sallow; her eyes were dark ened by black circle; and her move- ments formerly so active, became weak and uncertain.
 noticed too, one day, when she was giving me my orders, very sim gular eruption, or rather blotch, upon her forehead; just beneath the line of her parted hair. It was not like any other eruption that had ever seen in my life. It was not red or at all in- famed. It was simply rather large spot, covered with white shiny scales l; but, somehow, it seemed ominous and threatening and above all, repulsive
 l came to the conclusion that the poor lady must be victim to scrofula, and noticing the alteration for the worse in her countenance, as well as the rapid failing of her strength, ven- tured respectfully to suggest that she should consult doctor.
 She looked at me fixedly as I spoke.
 "Then you have noticed the change in my health, Stephen?" she said. ''I, too, am aware of it. And I think I shall probably go on journey before long. AS for physician there is no need for my sending for one. l know the nature of the malady from which oiI ouliCAh ttliNt cAdCIIN what remedies to apply, and the jour- ney am about to take will prove its
 best cure"
 did not see Miss Rayner after that for more than week. Then she sent for me at an early hour in the morn- ing stating that she would probably require my services for the entire day.
 was not surprised, after our former conversation, to see on arriving large new black trunk standing in the hall beside the door of Miss Rayner's bed
 room.
 Jeanne let me in, and was evidently l not in the best of humor.
 "She has got new whim," she whispered, as she closed the door. She has been looking for place in the country, and has found one. And ) such hole! Three miles from any
 railway station, at the very least-a kitchen without single modern con- l venience in it, and, at the foot of the lawn, a great black pool, that the country people say has no bottom. When she leaves Paris leave her ser , vice. And, worst of all, she has not only taken the place-she has bought it."
 But just then Miss Rayner opened her bedroom door, and Jeanne beat a ' precipitate retreat to the kitchen. l found the poor lady looking de- , cidedly worse even than she had
 looked when had seen her last. She had tied scarf of black Spanish lace around her head and throat, so that I could not see if the eruption on her forehead had spread. She was dressed with her usual scrupulous neatness, clean gloves and all, and greeted me with her customary air of quick de- cision.